We are extremely disappointed to announce that this year’s NZ Truffle Association conference in May 2020 is cancelled.

News on when and how AGMs will be held will be posted in next few weeks

The Executive Committee and members from the Hawkes bay region have been planning an extremely informative conference on 8,9,10 May 2020 at the EIT Taradale in Napier. It has been coming together extremely well and we were really pleased to include Marcos Morcillo and Noel Fitzpatrick in our conference programme.

However the developing situation in relation to Covid-19, and the recent NZ Government announcements to close the NZ border to non New Zealanders, restrict indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and recommendations against non-essential travel, has meant that the planned conference is no longer possible.

The risks to our fellow truffle enthusiasts from us coming together for almost 3 days, and the possibility that EIT makes a call to close its doors, together with a possible reluctance by members to risk exposure to Covid 19 or already being in self isolation and unable to attend – all impose a surmounting set of risks we, as a small Association, should not take.

We have considered whether the conference could merely be postponed for a few months until truffle season, but the likelihood of the Covid 19 situation remaining in July or August 2020 is a distinct possibility. All of which leads us to the conclusion that cancelling the conference is in the best interests of all our members and our Association.

We are still considering how the AGM can proceed. We are exploring different options including using remote video conferencing or other means to enable us to meet without physically being all in one location.

Without our main conference event, it means our regional groups will become more important to enable growers to get to know each other and share their knowledge. We will continue to work with regional coordinators to strengthen grower networks in the regions and ensure our industry moves towards fulfilling its full potential. Online connections between us all will increase in importance.